I came across a very complicated recipe for fig turnovers that called for a homemade crust, homemade fig jam and a sweetened cream and chevre cheese filling. The combination sounded absolutely scrumptious but I knew I wasn’t going to go through all that effort. Instead I streamlined the recipe using puff pastry and purchased fig jam. The verdict? Awesome! Everyone loved it! And if fig isn’t your thing, replace it with any fruit preserve.

Lay out one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, gently roll out each side of of the pastry so that it has thinned a bit (you should gain another 1/2” or so on all sides). Cut sheet until 9 equal squares.

On each square place about 2 tsp. of the sweetened cheese mixture in the middle. Then place 2 tsp. of fig jam over the cheese. Fold pastry in half so that a triangle is formed, gently squeezing the filling to distribute a bit to the sides of the pastry. Seal pastry by crimping with the tines of a fork.

Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheets. Note you will need only 3 to 6 pastry squares from the second sheet.

Although 99.9% of our recipes are sweets – this sweet cornbread recipe was too good not to share!

These easy cornbread appetizers taste as good as they look! Use the delicious honey cornbread recipe below, your own recipe or a mix! I’ve topped them here with a bit of sour cream and fig jam, but other great toppings include: olives, chili, cheese, salsa, sausage, shrimp, roasted red peppers, etc.

And….the cornbread would be delicious topped with strawberries! So this post is kind of a dessert one after all!

Keys to Success:

Use a recipe made for a 8″ x 8″ square pan but instead cook it in a 9″ x 13″ pan. That way the cornbread won’t be so thick and they will end up being terrific bite-size appetizers. Start checking for doneness after 15 minutes; remove when golden brown.

I cut my rounds using an inexpensive fondant cutter found in the baking aisle of a craft store such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Mine cost less than $3.

You can make and freeze the cornbread over a month in advance. Just bring to room temperature and then cut into smaller pieces.

Honey Cornbread Recipeadapted from Cooks Country, Aug/Sept. 2012

Important note. The recipe below is for an 8″ x 8″ pan. If you are making the appetizer as above, refer to Key to Success #1 above and cook in a 9″ x 13″ pan – reduce your baking time too.

1 cup buttermilk

2/3 cup honey

2 large eggs

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup cornmeal

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8″ square baking pan. Whisk buttermilk, honey, eggs and butter together in a bowl until thoroughly combined and no streaks of honey remain.

I couldn’t help but smile when I came across this Taste of Home magazine recipe (thanks to the magazine for the photo). Tater tots were a rare treat in my childhood and a cause for celebration when we did have them. Bacon wrapped tater tots certainly had appeal but it was when I read that the tots were first brushed with maple syrup prior to wrapping in a bacon slice that this recipe turned into a ‘must try’. I confess – they were really good. And fun. A can’t miss appetizer. And just in time for the Superbowl!

Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots, makes 32 servings

16 bacon strips, cut in half

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

32 frozen Tater Tots

Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until partially cooked but not crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; keep warm.

Combine syrup and pepper flakes. Dip each bacon piece in syrup mixture, then wrap around each Tater Tot. Secure with toothpicks.

Place on a greased rack in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 400° for 12-15 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Yield: 32 appetizers.

It’s officially the after-Thanksgiving, after Black Friday, ALMOST December “Holiday Season”! So.. expect a lot of holiday cheer (AND posts) around here this month. Today’s post is brought to you by the words “party” and “bites”. We normally offer FAB recipes on Mondays, but there are just so many great recipes out there waiting to be made, I thought I’d share a few links specifically for your holiday food/party planning. I’ve got a little savory.. a little sweet… and a lot of Holiday thrown in!

First, from Happy Hour Projects… Bite Size Party Bark. Not only do these Christmas party appetizers look great – they taste great – offering a little bit sweet and a little bit salty all in one. The link includes great instructions and step-by-step instructions. What an incredibly cute and fun way to use candy or ice cube molds!

This is a VERY busy week for hostesses all over the United States! I am personally cooking TWO turkeys this week, along with ALL the traditional fixin’s for Thursday’s big feast day. I’ve made lists and more lists to keep myself organized, and in between making lists, I’ve browsed for ideas for making our holiday fun and unique! I was thinking mostly about foods my kids would enjoy (or could help with the making), but these ideas are great for “kids” of ALL ages!

These delicious maple bacon cookies are a breeze to make. And they can be made well in advance (1 or 2 days, covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated) and baked up right before serving. Or bake them early in the day, brush on some maple syrup and serve for breakfast, as a snack (albeit not a healthy one) or as a perfect party bite if looking for a bacon appetizer recipe.

Puff pastry is what makes this so simple. I always keep a box in my freezer so that I can quickly throw together an appetizer or dessert. Some cooked, diced bacon and maple syrup – that’s all there is to it!

Bacon Cookies with Maple Glaze

1 sheet puff pastry (1/2 box), thawed overnight in the refrigerator or according to box directions.

5-6 slices bacon, diced and cooked

3 Tbsp. maple syrup, divided

freshly ground pepper

Preheat oven to 375 F. * Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray or place a sheet of parchment paper on it.

Unfold sheet of puff pastry. Using a pastry brush, knife or spoon, spread 2 Tbsp. of maple syrup over the pastry, just up to a bit before the edges.

Scatter the bacon pieces over the pastry. Season with freshly ground pepper to taste.

Gently roll the puff pastry into a log, with the long edges facing you and rolling up (or down:).

Once rolled, gently press the seam to close. Cut roll into 1/4″ pieces, and lay flat on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-18 minutes, starting to check at 12 minutes for doneness, until golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with remaining maple syrup

*If you are making ahead, start as step 2. And, once rolled but not cut, wrap the cookie roll in plastic film and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

I am always on the look out for simple yet exceptionally delicious recipes. Often that means turning to store-bought ingredients to save time without sacrificing flavor. Phyllo dough cups are one such item that I always keep in my freezer to help me create fabulous appetizers with minimal effort. This recipe comes from Family Circle magazine with photography credit going to Romulo Yanes.

Brie cheese and mission figs are an extraordinary combination – one your guests will sure to love. Add a bit of almonds and honey – ooh lah lah!

Although fresh farmed corn needs little other than salt and a bit of butter, sometimes I like to dress it up. This recipe from FineCooking.com was perfect – tons of flavor. And as an added bonus, it taught me how to grill corn on the cob without husks. Once grilled, you could stop right there and then and eat it. Or, as a delicious change of pace, spread the ears with a zippy sauce made from mayonnaise, chili powder, and lime zest. Then give it a roll in some cheese (Cotija, ricotta salata or feta). Finish with a little hit of kosher salt!

Why grill corn versus boiling? Simple – the high heat brings out the natural sugars of the corn and intensifies them. Yum!!

Key To Success: The first time you make these, watch them carefully as they grill. You want some charred spot on the ear of corn; not the entire cob burned.

Mexican Grilled Corn on the Cob with Cheese

4 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 Tbs. Mexican-style chili powder

1/2 tsp. finely grated lime zest

1/4 cup crumbled Cotija cheese (or ricotta salata)

Kosher salt

Lime wedges, for serving

Prepare a high gas or charcoal grill fire. Grill the corn, turning frequently with tongs, until charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, chili powder, and lime zest. Put the Cotija (or other crumbly cheese) on a small plate. Spread each ear of corn with 1 Tbs. of the mayonnaise and then roll in the cheese to coat. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over the corn.

Thanks to Finecooking.com for the beautiful picture. Although my corn looked like that when I made – my picture of the corn didn’t:(

I came across a mango salsa recipe soon after we married and it was my first ‘fancy meal’ for company! 17 years later I still make it when I want to impress. It’s a very easy fruit salsa recipe that takes about 15 minutes to throw together. Mango salsa is delicious on most fish, chicken and pork.

Feel free to add/change ingredients to this mango salsa. And although the recipe above calls for cilantro, it is equally as good with parsley.

Mango Salsa

1 large ripe mango, peeled and diced

1 T. honey (use more if you would like it sweeter)

1/4 cup sliced green onions (green and white parts)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1 T. lime juice

1 tsp. grated lime zest

1.5 tsp. minced garlic

1 jalapeno, washed, stem removed, seeded and minced

1 T. chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.

I realized yesterday that June is basically HALF over already. (Wait, what??) And that means I better get a move on with my 4th of July party plans. SO, I went in search of ways to celebrate and EAT well for 4th of July. (And I was specifically looking for EASY ideas, because… well, it’s summer, and I don’t want complicated!) Found these terrific 4th of July dessert recipes that I had to share!

I’ve seen a lot of variations for EASY 4th of July Fruit Kabobs, but my daughter is voting for this recipe from The Frugal Girls. Why? Because it has MARSHMALLOWS! (Bananas would work too, but we love marshmallows around here).